


Untitled

by frankiesin



Series: discontinued works [2]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M, old fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-20
Updated: 2010-07-20
Packaged: 2019-07-11 03:56:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15964187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frankiesin/pseuds/frankiesin
Summary: Axel doesn’t have his life together at all. Then he meets Roxas, and things finally start going in the right direction. Unfortunately, Roxas has his own demons to sort through before the two can get their happy ending.(written in 2010 when I was 14 and knew nothing about high school, teaching, or dating)





	Untitled

 

Chapter 1

 

Axel was bored. His shitty job had him sitting in a shitty cubicle for eight hours every day. Not only that, but because he was low on munny, he couldn't pay for a parking spot every day. The closest free parking lot was at the high school, over a mile away. Not that Axel didn't mind the walk, he actually enjoyed it somewhat. Unless it was raining. If there was one thing Axel hated more than his job, it was rain.

 

He sat at his desk, attempting to work on whatever dull assignment his boss had told him to work on. Not that his computer was much help. It made a snail look fast, and in thunderstorms, it went even slower, sometimes even shutting itself down. Axel groaned, running a hand through his spiky red hair. He looked up at the clock, in hope that there was less time than he thought. 'Thirty more minutes of this? God... why do I have to go through this shit?'

 

Axel looked out the window; at least maybe it would be nice outside. The red-head looked out to a black sky, which was then pierced by a flash of white light. "Fuck. Thunderstorms. Now how am I supposed to get anything done?"

 

Axel desperately tried to save everything he had been working on, when the power shut off. Not just his computer, the whole building.

 

"Oh that's just great." He heard one of his co-workers grumble. His boss came to his cubicle. "Axel, there isn't much more work that can be done while the computers are down. You may go."

 

Axel huffed, grabbed his jacket, his briefcase, and let. He was soon followed by his co-workers. They parted ways, and Axel started his daily walk, this time in freezing cold rain and thunder. Axel shivered, but didn't bother putting on his jacket; it was probably soaked through already. The red-head's hair was now slicked back, with unruly strands falling into his face. Axel sloshed through the mud and puddles, inwardly telling himself he needed a new job that he wouldn't have to walk a mile from just to get to his car.

 

He wasn't even quite sure why he had gotten the job in the first place. Maybe because it was the first one to accept Axel when he first moved to Twilight Town. Maybe because, at one point, there had been a hot blonde working there. The two of them had dated off and on, until she met some other guy and ended up with him instead of Axel. Every time Axel thought of her, a red haze always filled his vision. He didn't know why.

 

Eventually, he got to the high school. The thunder had stopped, but the rain was as relentless as before. The high school students were filing out into the rain; he heard girls scream about their hair getting messed up by the rain. Axel almost smiled, before realizing that she had always complained about her hair getting messed up by rain. A red haze blocked his vision.

 

"Hey! Give that back!" A boy's screech slashed through Axel's memories. He stood there, looking for the source. A short blonde boy was attempting to grab a book from a much taller, brunette boy. Beside the brunette stood a girl with bronze hair pulled back, and an extremely short, emo-looking boy. The girl sneered. "Oooh... is that your diary? What's Roxas got in there, stuff about his boyfriend?"

 

"I don't have a boyfriend!!! Give me that back!" Roxas screeched. The brunette just laughed and raised it higher in the air. Axel looked around. No one was coming to help the blonde, they all just watched the scene unfold, or ignored it.

 

"Yeah ya do, Roxas! Wanna know why? Cuz you're GAY!!!" Brunette spat in Roxas's face, getting roars of laughter from the other two. Roxas clenched his fists. "Says the guy who has sex with Professor Saix every day!"

 

The brunette flared up. "I do not, you good for nothing piece of shit!"

 

Roxas was shoved down by the brunette. The other blonde kicked mud into his face. "Why don't you go back to your cardboard box, you hobo! Or can your junkie parents not even afford you that?"

 

"Yeah! Hey, how does wet, rotten food from trash bins taste? Better than mud or do you prefer that?" The bronze-haired girl kicked Roxas, who was trying to get up out of the mud. She then shoved his face into it. "This is what you deserve, you know. You're a broke, good for nothing piece of shit. Don't you forget it."

 

"You three are no better." Axel snarled, grabbing the girl's shoulder, and pulling her off Roxas. She glared up at him, her dark blue eyes full of malice. "What are you, his pedophile of a boyfriend?"

 

"No. I'm his older brother." Axel turned to the muddy blonde. "Come on, Roxas, let's go home."

 

The red-head turned to the three teens glaring at him. "Which, by the way, is NOT a cardboard box. Oh, and browny, you have fun in that janitor’s closet with your teacher..."

 

Axel grabbed Roxas's arm and whisked him away from the three bullies, who were now standing in the downpour, mouths hanging open. Once out of earshot, Roxas turned to Axel. "Why are you being so nice to me? You don't even know me."

 

"I don't know, just thought that you might not want a mud bath." Axel pulled out a small leather notebook from his pocket. "I think this is yours..."

 

"Thanks." Roxas put the notebook into his backpack, which, during the whole episode, had stayed relatively clean.

 

"Do you mind if I take you to my house to let you clean up, or would your parents get worried?" Axel looked at the blonde, who was now staring at his feet. Axel put his hand on his shoulder. "Roxas...?"

 

"I'm fine... just... spaced out." Roxas shook his head. Axel nodded. "Ok, so about what I said...?"

 

"You could come back with me to my apartment. My parents are probably still at work." By that point, the two of them had reached Axel's old, beat up truck. "Well, it's not much, but it's all I've got."

 

Roxas's bright blue eyes lit up at the sight of it. A small smile crossed Axel's face. "So, I guess you like trucks then?"

 

The blonde blushed. "Uh, yeah..."

 

Axel smiled at him, and got in the truck. Roxas got in the other side, and they headed to Roxas's apartment. All the time, neither one spoke, they just looked at each other occasionally. Both were grinning: Axel because he just might have something interesting to look forward to, and Roxas, because he finally had someone on his side.

  


* * *

  


Chapter 2

 

Roxas took out the key to his apartment, and opened the door. He switched on the light switch, on off on off on off on, before realizing that the power was out. "Oh, great. Now I have to find a flashlight, which could be anywhere..."

 

"I have a lighter." Axel blurted out, taking the flame printed lighter out of his pocket and handing it to where he thought Roxas was standing. Roxas took it, and for a second, their hands touched. Roxas blushed, suddenly glad for the darkness. He flicked the light on. "Thanks, but I think I prefer a flashlight. Less chance of burning yourself, you know."

 

Axel nodded, sitting down on the couch. He immediately sprang back up, cursing and rubbing the underside of his thigh. "Shit! What the hell was that?!?"

 

"Probably a spring. We need a new couch." Roxas called from the kitchen, where he was searching for a flashlight. 'We need a new EVERYTHING.' He thought to himself angrily. And maybe they would have more, if Roxas's father stopped his gambling obsession and his mother wasn't a prostitute. They wasted all their money on alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes. The apartment smelled like those three things. And sex. It always smelled like sex.

 

In the living room, Axel searched around for some other source of light, seeing as his lighter was being used at the moment. No luck, but he did pierce himself with broken glass a couple times. He was sitting next to the broken couch, sucking one of his injured fingers, when Roxas came back with two flashlights and a lighter. "Here."

 

Axel grabbed the lighter and flashlight, put the lighter in his pocket, and turned on the flashlight. He shined it on his fingers, which were bleeding. Roxas peered over the wet red-head's shoulder. "You okay?"

 

Axel nodded. "Nothing too bad. I've had worse."

 

"Ok. I'm going to take a shower. If you want to, there's another shower in my parents' room..." Roxas pointed his flashlight at a closed door. Axel stood up, mumbled thanks, and walked in, searching the floor for anything else that would injure him. He heard Roxas start his water, and hurried to find the bathroom door. He opened it, and unsurprisingly, it was a mess as well as the rest of the small apartment. Used condoms, bloody tampons, towels, random pieces of clothing, a toothbrush littered the floor. Axel kicked some things away from where he was standing, and then kicked off his shoes as well. He shrugged himself out of his clothes, and turned on the shower. Axel shook out his thick mane of red hair, and stepped into freezing cold water. He clenched his teeth, and proceeded to find the shampoo, which he then scrubbed throughout his hair, soothing his scalp.

 

"And I thought I was a slob..." He said to himself, running his hands through his hair and shivering slightly. He shut off the water and stepped out, shaking his head again. He found a relatively clean towel, rubbed it through his hair, and then tied it around his waist. "Now what? It's not like I have any dry clothes... and I really don't want to put on those."

 

Axel poked his soaking clothes with his toe. He sighed, and left the bathroom. He peered around the room, watching where he stepped as he went. Axel exited the bedroom, and, still in the towel, walked to the other door that he guessed was Roxas's room. He knocked twice, but got no answer. "Hey Roxas... I have a slight problem..."

 

Roxas opened the door, fully clothed. "What?"

 

"Do you think that your dad would mind if I borrowed some of his clothes?"

 

Roxas's eyes looked from the red-head's feet to his red hair. "They'd be really loose on you, but it's better than nothing."

 

"Or wet clothes."

 

"Or wet clothes." Roxas smiled at Axel's retreating back. He sighed, glad the red-head hadn't seen him blushing the whole time Axel had been standing there in nothing but a towel.

  


* * *

  
  


Chapter 3

 

Axel changed into a pair of jeans and some random polo shirt he found. The pants were three sizes to big (at least) and the shirt made him look thinner than ever. But Axel really didn't care. He combed through his hair, knowing it would spike back up when it dried off, and went into the living room. Roxas sat on the arm of the couch, reading a book, and scribbling things down. Axel scanned the couch for anymore springs that he had missed the first time, and sat down near Roxas. "What are you doing?"

 

"Homework." Came the simple reply. Roxas tapped his pencil on his chin. Axel smiled. 'Cute.' The red-head then shook his head violently. 'NO! Bad Axel! The kid's probably fifteen... you're twenty. Five years difference, no way!'

 

"Axel!" Roxas whined. "You got my paper all wet!"

 

"Sorry..." Axel bit his lip, trying not to laugh. This kid didn't seem to have anything to worry about, other than the dampness of his homework papers. He didn't have to worry about paying anything, if he was going to get fired from his job, getting his car repaired, fixing the leaks in his apartment (for the thousandth time), no, this kid was lucky. Axel looked over at the blonde, who was concentrating on his homework as though his life depended on it. Axel shook his head slightly, grinning. "How do you do that?"

 

"Do what?"

 

"Concentrate like that. I can't keep myself on task for much longer than five minutes unless it's something that interests me!" Axel laughed. 'Like you, for example.'

 

"ADD?" Roxas's blue eyes stared into Axel's green ones. Axel shook his head. "Naw, I don't have a problem, I just get bored way too easily."

 

"With your work or with your girlfriends as well?” The blonde was serious. He wanted to know. Axel wasn't in the mood to talk about old relationships. He didn't think that he ever would be.

 

"Axel?" Roxas tilted his head and blinked twice. Axel's mouth twitched, he resisted smiling at that. Instead, he shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it."

 

"OK." Strange, most people would pester Axel until he got pissed off. So much that he would beat whoever it was. Despite what he had told Roxas, Axel did have a problem: anger. It could take over his body, leave him watching helplessly on the sidelines as his body hurt someone he cared for. That's why he left his home. He didn't want to hurt his family. And, he had been afraid he would hurt Roxas. Then the blonde had said the two letters that Axel longed to hear when he didn't want to talk: OK.

 

"Thanks, Roxas."

 

"For what? I haven't done anything. You're the one who should be thanked!" Roxas felt himself sliding off the armrest. He felt Axel's skinny arms wrap around him. Roxas felt the warmth from Axel's body. He felt Axel set his chin on his head. Axel felt Roxas's arms wrap around him. He felt the blond press against his chest. But neither one felt the other's silent tears.

 

* * *

  


Chapter 4

 

"Axel…" Roxas murmured into the older man's chest. "You can let go of me now…"

 

Axel sighed, and released the blonde. Roxas closed his eyes and leaned back on the sofa. Axel stared at this kid, another smile forming on his face. He hadn't been this happy since he had met HER. As that thought crossed Axel's mind, he growled. Roxas opened his eyes to see Axel sitting next to him with his eyes narrowed and his lip curled. Roxas scooted away, thinking it better that Axel be left alone.

 

"What is it about you, Roxas? I barely even know you, and yet I feel as though we've known each other forever…" Axel pulled up his legs and sat his chin on his knees. "I thought that I'd never feel happy again. And yet here you are. I don't even know why I helped you out, I'm just glad I did."

 

Roxas sat there, stunned by the red-head. "I-I didn't expect you to help me. I thought you were on their side… you just looked so… fierce."

 

Axel sighed and closed his eyes. Roxas scooted back over and sat his chin on the red-head's shoulder. "I'll tell you something if you tell me what you're hiding from me."

 

Axel's eyes flew open. He glared at Roxas, and Roxas was pretty sure that he saw flames in Axel's emerald green eyes.

 

"Or…" Roxas tensed, wondering what Axel would do to him. "Or… we could get something to eat. I'm hungry. Do you have anything good or will we have to go somewhere else?"

 

"I'll check." Roxas knew that the only edible things in this house were the zillions of bottles of alcohol and maybe some cereal. He opened the fridge, only to get blasted with the putrid smell of spoiled milk. He looked at the half empty gallon, which had expired two months ago. How had he not noticed it?

 

"Ew." Roxas picked up the sour milk and walked across the small room to throw it away. Luckily the trash would be picked up tomorrow.

 

"Find anything?" Axel stood in the doorway, watching Roxas throw away the sour milk. Roxas felt his face heat up as he choked out "No."

 

Axel raised an eyebrow and walked to the fridge. He opened it up and scanned the many bottles of liquor that stood there. He took one out, grabbed two glasses, poured a little into each, and handed one to Roxas.

 

Roxas felt himself turning redder. "Um… I can't drink. I'm underage."

 

"So?" Axel put the glass to his lips and took a sip. "Eh… I've had better."

 

Roxas was about to say something when he heard the door open. Axel turned his head to the direction of the door, eyebrows raised in curiosity. Roxas went pale, knowing that no matter who it was, it wouldn't be good for Axel and Roxas to be standing in the kitchen drinking whatever Axel had poured. Axel, on the other hand, didn't seem nervous at all.

"Roxassssss!" His mother's high-pitched, feminine voice cut through the think silence of the apartment. Axel winced when she spoke. "She sounds like nails on a chalkboard…!"

 

"You get used to it." Roxas shrugged it off. His mother screeched again. "Roxassssss! Why are tee lights not working?!?"

 

"No power! It shut off when I got home!" Roxas let out a groan, then turned to Axel. "She's drunk. If I were you, I'd leave now while the power's still out…"

 

And then the lights flickered on. Roxas bit his lip. "Shit."

 

"I think I like it better when I can see…" Axel was peering around the fridge, staring at Roxas's mom. "Why didn't you tell me that your mom is a sexy beast?"

 

"There's probably a reason, but for the likes of me, I can't figure out what it is. Other than the possibility of you hooking up with my mother is kind of freaky." Roxas snarled at the red-head, who hadn't heard a thing that Roxas had said, seeing as he was a bit preoccupied. The red-head just nodded.

 

Roxas's mom looked around for her son, but instead saw a red-headed man staring at her from around the fridge. As Roxas had thought, she was indeed drunk. She winked and blew a kiss at the red-head. He winked back. She walked forward, swinging her hips back and forth as she went. But the red-head wasn't looking at her hips, instead he was staring straight at her chest. Not that she minded.

 

Roxas watched as his own mother walked seductively towards Axel, a sly look on her face. Roxas narrowed his eyes. "Axel."

 

Axel turned towards Roxas, his eyebrows raised in confusion. "Yes, Roxas?"

 

Roxas didn't get a chance to reply, because his mother had shoved Axel onto the refrigerator, and was now kissing him fiercely. Roxas knew that wasn't Axel's fault; when his mother was drunk, it was best to let her just do whatever. And then Axel started moving his hands up and down her back. Then up her shirt. Then Axel's hand bunched up as he undid Roxas's mother's bra strap. And that's when Roxas snapped. "GOD DAMMIT! GET A ROOM!!"

 

Roxas stormed out of the kitchen and into his room, slamming the door behind him. He sat down on his bed, buried his face in a pillow, and cried. Five minutes passed, and then there was a knock on the door. "Roxas?"

 

Axel. Roxas wanted so very much to run through the door and tackle the red-head down, yet he knew he couldn't let Axel off that easily. "Roxas, hey, I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd get upset."

 

'Guess that means you didn't think at all.' He almost spat them at Axel, but something made him stop. Roxas turned over, and, still hugging the pillow, sat up and stared at the door. Axel sighed, followed by a soft thump, letting Roxas know the red-head's head was resting on the door. "Everything I said to you… when we were sitting on the couch… all of it was true. I never meant to hurt you, and I'm sorry if I did…"

 

Axel stood, forehead pressed to the door, eyes closed. 'What is wrong with me? I just met this kid, and I almost had sex with his mother!'

 

Axel opened his eyes. They flicked to the other bedroom door, where Roxas's mother was sleeping. Axel had knocked her out, believing that was his only escape route. Now he was trying to convince Roxas to come out. Axel wanted to see the blonde's bright blue eyes, his soft, spiky blonde hair. Axel wanted to run in there and tackle Roxas down so badly, but he couldn't. The door was locked. Axel sighed and knocked on the door again. "Come on Roxas. This is stupid. You know it. I know it, and I'm the one who screwed up. All I'm trying to say is that what I did was a mistake."

 

"I know Axel. You can shut up now." Roxas's voice was scratchy, like he had been crying. Although why, Axel didn't know. 'Unless… naw. He wouldn't like me. Not after the jerk I've been.'

 

"So… you gonna come out?"

 

"No."

 

"I will come in there, you know. I'll figure out a way."

 

"Or you could just open the door…" Axel raised an eyebrow. The door was locked, but he turned it anyway. And to his surprise, it opened. Roxas sat on his bed, clutching a pillow to his chest, and staring at Axel with tears in his eyes. Axel sat next to Roxas on his bed. "Sorry."

 

"That's all I needed to hear, you know. I didn't want an excuse." Roxas leaned his head onto Axel's shoulder; Axel sat his head on Roxas's blonde spikes. The red-head closed his eyes and sighed. 'This might just work out…' He thought, a smile forming on his face.

 

* * *

  


Chapter 5

 

Axel and Roxas ended up ordering a pizza and watching horror movies late into the night. During the middle of either the fourth or the fifth, Roxas fell asleep in Axel's lap. The red-head tried to move him off, but Roxas only clung on to Axel's borrowed shirt tighter. Sighing, Axel unbuttoned the shirt in an attempt to get Roxas off of him. Instead, the blonde clung onto Axel's (now bare) chest, causing his face to match his hair color.

 

After about thirty more minutes of trying to detach Roxas, Axel gave up on it. He turned off the movie and lay down on the couch. A quick glance at his watch told him it was 1:35 AM. Axel yawned, wrapped his arms around the blonde, and promptly fell asleep.

 

"AH! Axel! What are you doing?" The red-head woke up to a very red-faced blonde beating him over the head with a pillow. Axel laid there, the pillow thudding against his head, trying to figure out where he was, and who was beating him over the head. He looked up at the blonde. "Roxas?"

 

"Yes! Why the hell are you shirtless?!? And why are you wrapped around me?!?" With every word Roxas said, he hit Axel with the pillow. Axel blinked a couple of times, still trying to wake up. Then it hit him, and he turned paler than usual. "Oh fuck… please tell me that what happened between me and your mom was just a dream…"

 

"It wasn't!" Roxas screeched, still attempting to get out of Axel's grip. Axel noticed this and let go immediately. "Hey, I'm sorry, alright. Now would you stop hitting me?"

 

"Not until you explain why I woke up pressed to your bare skin!"

 

"You fell asleep during the movie last night, and clung to my shirt. Then when I tried to get you off by getting rid of my shirt, you grabbed me instead." Axel sat up and stretched. "You have any coffee?"

 

Roxas shook his head, a blush starting to appear on his cheeks. Axel smiled at the blonde. "Want a ride to school? I'll take you to Starbucks on the way if you want me to."

 

"OK." Roxas hopped up. "Let me just go change into a different pair of clothes."

 

Axel nodded, watching the blonde walk to his room. He seemed to not even notice the things on the floor, just moved nimbly through them. 'I wonder if I do that in my apartment…' Another thought crossed his mind. 'I wonder if he'd be able to do that in my apartment.'

 

Roxas stepped out of his room in a new set of clothes. Axel stood up and headed to the door. "Alright, let's go by my apartment first so that I can get some of my clothes back on, k?"

 

"OK." The two of them exited Roxas's apartment, walked down the two flights of stairs, and into the parking deck. Axel looked around. "Shit. I forgot where my car is…"

 

"Press the 'panic' button." Roxas pointed to a small red button on Axel's car keys. Axel raised the keys up in the air and pressed the red button. A loud beeping noise blared at them from their left. Axel grinned. "Guess it's over there."

  
  


* * *

  
  


Chapter 6

 

The two guys got out of Axel's old red truck. Roxas walked next to Axel, looking up at him. "How come you're so tall?"

 

"How come you're so short?" Axel smirked back at his friend. It was a friendly smirk, and Roxas knew it. That didn't keep him from elbowing the red-head in response. Axel laughed. "Hey, it's the truth. You are kind of vertically challenged…"

 

"And you're a freak." Roxas grinned as Axel shoved him playfully. The two reached the high school building. Roxas turned to the red-head. "See you this afternoon."

 

"See ya, Roxas." Axel gave a half-wave, and then turned and left. Roxas stood there for a minute, wondering if he had really seen sadness in the red-head's expression, or if he had just imagined it all. Suddenly a short, pale, blonde girl came up next to Roxas. "OMG Roxas is that the guy from yesterday? I heard that he threatened Lexrach with a knife! Is it true? What kind of knife was it? Did he even stab her? And where did you guys go? Did he take you to his house and rape you or something? Is he a pedophile? Did you guys have sex or something? Is that why you're smiling?"

 

"Hey Namine. Slow down. One question at a time." Roxas grabbed his friend's shoulders. Namine's pale blue eyes were huge, and filled with even more questions than the ones she had already spit out. Namine blinked. "Okay, sorry. Was that guy you were talking to the mysterious red-head who saved you?"

 

"Yes. His name is Axel." Roxas nodded. The two of them walked into the school together. As they walked, Namine continued her questions. "Did he threaten to stab Lexrach with a knife?"

 

Roxas shook his head. Lexrach, the bronze-haired girl who enjoyed tormenting Roxas, was more likely to be the one threatening people with knives. Namine's eyes widened. "Where did he take you?"

 

"To my apartment."

 

"What did you two do there? Were either of your parents home?" Namine looked like the world might be crashing down on her. Roxas sighed and put his hand on her shoulder. "Jeez Nam, you act like every little thing is going to end badly…"

 

"But what did you do there?"

 

"We talked. And then I searched for something edible but didn't find anything, so Axel ordered pizza. Then the two of us watched horror movies while eating pizza. And I fell asleep on the couch." Roxas stopped himself before he said what he had woken up to the next morning. Namine would freak if she heard that.

 

"Were your parents home?"

 

"My mom came in when we were looking for something to eat." Namine raised an eyebrow, willing her blonde friend to continue. "And she and Axel ended up making out on the fridge."

Namine giggled. "I can see that. Did you get angry?"

 

"Yeah. I barely knew this guy, he didn't even know my mom, and there they were, making out." Roxas clenched his teeth. Even though he said that he forgave Axel, he was still rather pissed about it.

 

"So…" Namine started. Roxas groaned inwardly, having hoped that the interrogation was over. "Do you like him?"

 

"What?"

 

Namine sighed and rolled her eyes. "Roxas, I know that you're gay, and maybe this is the right one. At least he hasn't tried getting into your pants like the last couple of guys did…"

Roxas could feel himself going red. Namine was the only one, other than any of the boys that he had dated, who knew he was gay. At this school, if you had a secret, even telling it to your best friend could be bad. Because most people here had problems, and they would do anything to make sure someone else's got out first.

 

"He's better than Chexese… that's for sure." Namine said, her eyes turning cold at the thought of Roxas's last boyfriend. Chexese had turned on Roxas not long after they had started to get serious about their relationship. Chexese had hooked up with Lexrach's younger brother, Joxsh, but that hadn't worked out too well. So Chexese went to Professor Saix for "help." Chexese and Professor Saix had been going in and out of the Professor's closet ever since. Roxas grimaced at the memory. "Yeah. Way better than Chexese."

 

Namine smiled to herself. She had an idea on how to get Axel and Roxas to fall in love. Now all she needed was an opportunity…

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Chapter 7

 

People whispered behind Roxas's back during his first class. He ignored them, thinking instead of how he would explain that he hadn't done any of his homework. He tapped his pencil on the desk, glad that he didn't have any homework from his first two classes. 'Hopefully I'll figure something out by then…'

 

His second period went by quickly, giving him barely enough time to complete his third period homework. He just finished the last question as the bell ring to dismiss the class. Roxas started stuffing his things into his bag. As he stuffed in his math textbook, he heard the sound of ripping paper, and looked up to see Chexese ripping his homework up. Chexese smirked down at Roxas. "Oh, whoops. Sorry about that…"

 

Chexese ripped the paper again. "Boy, Saix is gonna kill you when he realizes you spent yesterday having sex instead of doing his homework…"

 

"That's what you did." Roxas snarled up at the brunette. Chexese just laughed at him. "Yeah, but seeing as I was having it with Saix, he'll let it slide. As far as I know, Fire-head isn't a teacher here…"

 

With that, Chexese left, taking the ripped homework with him. Roxas grabbed his bag, bit his lip, and started towards his next class. Chexese was waiting outside, another smirk on his face. Roxas walked past him, trying to ignore the thick-headed teen laughing at him. "Saix is gonna kill you… Saix is gonna kill you… Saix is gonna…"

 

"Shut up, will you?" Roxas said over his shoulder, not in the mood for Chexese's annoyances. He walked faster, hoping to lose the brunette, only to hear Chexese's footsteps speed up. Roxas groaned. 'Why does he insist on making my life worse than it already is???'

 

The late bell rang seconds before the two teens reached Professor Saix's door. Roxas opened it, wondering what he was in for this time. Saix looked up, his yellow eyes narrowed. "You are late Roxas. I believe that this was your last tardy before a detention?"

 

Roxas stood there, stunned. "But sir… Chexese was late too…" He looked over his shoulder to see no one behind him. Roxas turned back around to see Chexese sitting in his chair, a smirk on his face. "Yeah right. I've been here the whole time."

 

"Roxas. Sit down now before I give you another detention." Saix glared menacingly at the blonde. Roxas sat down, groaning. Saix took roll, then walked around to collect the homework. As Saix walked towards Roxas's desk, the blonde bit his lip. 'How am I supposed to explain this to Saix?'

 

"Roxas, your homework please?" Saix tapped his finger on Roxas's desk, annoyance all over his face. Roxas's blue eyes met the professor's blue ones. "Um… I d-don't have it…"

 

"Would you care to tell me WHY you do not have it?"

 

"I did it, but then Chexese ripped it up."

 

The blue-haired professor raised an eyebrow. "I cannot believe that Chexese would do something like that. Do not lie to me, Roxas. Where is your homework?"

 

"I… I didn't do it." Roxas looked at the floor. Saix smirked at his blonde student. "Another detention."

 

Roxas's head hit his desk. 'This is probably the worst day of my life…'

The rest of Roxas's day was spent attempting to finish his homework, which he did. He didn't have any problems with Chexese, Lexrach, or Joxsh for the rest of the day. And then school ended. Roxas walked back to Saix's room for his first detention. Roxas opened the door to see five others, one of which being Lexrach, sitting in random desks.

 

"Ah, hello Roxas. Glad to see you are on time for once." Saix smirked. "Sit down there." Saix had pointed to the desk next to Lexrach, who, upon seeing who would be sitting next to her, curled her lip. Roxas sat down, scooting his chair away from the bronze-haired girl glaring at him. She scooted herself away from the blonde as well. "Why're YOU here, fag?"

 

Roxas ignored her. Instead he took out the notebook Chexese had stolen on the day he had met Axel. 'I thought that day would be bad, but it turned out to be the start of something amazing. Guess I have Chexese, Joxsh, and Lexrach to thank for that…'

 

"Hey, faggot, did you hear me?!?" Lexrach smacked Roxas with a book. Roxas turned to her. "Yeah, I heard you. I'm here cuz I told Saix Chexese destroyed my homework."

Lexrach laughed. "LOL! You moron! No one EVER blames Chexmix when they're talking to Saix! That has detention written all over it!"

 

"Yeah… kinda figured that out…" Roxas laughed nervously, surprised that he and Lexrach weren't trying to strangle each other for once. Lexrach smirked. "You know how Saix is about Chexmix… the two of them are connected at the hips… if ya know what I mean."

 

The two of them snickered. Saix looked up from where he was grading papers, causing the two teens only to snort into their desks. Lexrach looked over at the blonde. "Chexmix is under the desk…!"

 

Roxas burst out laughing. Saix stood up. "Lexrach! Roxas! Shut up or I'll give you two weeks of detention!"

 

Roxas bit his lip, and Lexrach pulled out a book, attempting to read it. She opened it to a random page, and put her hand over her mouth, snorting. "Roxas… read this."

 

Roxas read the sentence she was pointing to, and then pointed at Saix. Lexrach nodded, a grin on her face. Roxas whispered into Lexrach's ear. " 'I'll do it.' Saix said, leaning over the bed."

 

"Shut up or we'll get killed…!" Lexrach hissed. Roxas just smirked and turned back to his desk. Lexrach glared at him, but Roxas didn't care. Instead, he just grinned at the girl. "I win."

 

"Sure. I just want to know one thing. Did you and red-head have fun last night?"

 

Roxas turned red. "I'm not even going to dignify that with a response."

  


* * *

  
  


Chapter 8

 

Axel looked out the window of his office. Rain had started to fall, not that much, but enough to annoy Axel. The red-head groaned, running a hand through his hair. "God, I hate rain."

 

"Get over it." Xigbar leaned over the red-head's cubicle, a crooked smile on his scarred face. Axel looked up at the older man, a glare on his face. "Not in the mood, Xig. Now get lost."

 

Xigbar's gold eye sparked. "What if I don't want to?"

 

"You'll get us both fired if you don't…" Axel returned to the boring assignment he had been given. An email popped up on his computer screen. Surprised, he clicked on it. It was from someone called MelodiousNocturn9. Axel recognized Demyx's name. He read through it. 'Hey Axel. If you don't recognize the address, it's me, Dem. Just wondering how you're doing in Twilight Town. Reno says hi, and your sisters miss you a lot. I hope you'll come visit us… if you get the time…'

 

Axel sighed. He hadn't heard from Demyx, or any of his friends, for over a year. He clicked reply. 'Glad to hear you're still alive, Dem. I'm going fine and wish that my boss would give me a vacation day for once in my life. Tell Kairi and Kai that I'll visit them as soon as I can.'

 

"What are you doing?" A tanned hand rested on Axel's shoulder. The red-head looked up to meet Xemnas's glowing orange eyes. A smirk filled his face. "Goofing off again, I see? I believe that this is the second time this week…"

 

"S-sorry sir… I promise it won't happen again!" Axel shook his head, eyes wide. Xemnas's narrowed. "That is what you said last time. How can I believe that it won't happen again? And not only are you getting distracted repeatedly, you have also been late for work the last three days…"

 

"I can explain that!" The red-head blurted out. He knew it was hopeless; Xemnas had already made his decision. Axel shook his head. "I've been taking this kid to school! He's poor, he needed me to do this for him and… and… I've been having him over for dinner so that he can eat… and if you fire me then he won't get anything to eat and he'll starve and die!"

 

Xemnas stared at the red-head at his feet. The silver-haired man shook his head. "Well if I fire you, the both of you can live in a cardboard box together."

 

Axel stood up, defeated. "Alright. I'll get my things and leave." The red-head grabbed his jacket, briefcase, and the few pictures he had pinned on the wall. He walked out of the building and onto the elevator. Axel sighed, wondering what he was going to screw up next. The elevator dinged, and Axel stepped off and into the lobby. The red-head walked out, not even bothering to wink at the desk-lady as he went. Pushing the doors open, Axel walked into the downpour. "Why does everything bad happen to me?"

 

Axel had gotten to the school by the time everyone was leaving. The red-head stood under a tree, attempting to keep from getting any wetter. A short blonde girl walked up to him, her pale blue eyes looking up into his. "Hi. Do you know Roxas?"

 

Axel blinked, surprised. "Uh, yeah. He's my friend. Are you his girlfriend?"

 

"No! Roxas and I are just friends!" The girl giggled. "By the way, my name is Namine. Roxas is in detention, so he won't be out for another hour."

 

Axel groaned. "That figures. What am I supposed to do for one hour?"

 

Namine shrugged and sat down. She took out a sketchpad and pencil, looked at the soaked red-head, and started to draw. Axel looked over at the petite girl on the ground. "What are you drawing?"

 

"You." Axel slid down the tree so he could see the blonde girl's drawing. "Not bad."

 

"Yeah… but it would look a hell of a lot better with mud!" Someone kicked mud at Namine, splattering it all over her and her sketchpad. Axel looked up to see Chexese smirking down at him. "Oh hey Pedo-man. Roxas will be pissed that you're cheating on him."

 

Axel stood up, towering over the brunette. He leaned over Namine, who had scooted back, and now had his fist inches away from the teens face. "I'll make you eat mud if you don't fuck off."

 

"Ooooh… scary!" Chexese laughed, and spat on Axel. The red-head grabbed Chexese's hair and flipped him onto the ground. The brown-haired teen got a face-full of mud. Axel put his foot on Chexese's back. "I'm not in a good mood right now. If I were you, I'd fuck off before I turn you into a pulp."

 

Chexese said nothing. Instead, he got out from under the red-head's foot and walked to the building. Axel smirked and turned back to Namine, who was grabbing her stuff. She looked up at him. "I've got to go now, but promise me one thing: by the end of the day, I want you to have kissed Roxas."

 

"What?!?"

 

"You heard me." She said over her shoulder. "And don't worry, he likes you too!"

 

Axel wasn't sure how long he stood there, stunned, before six teens came out of the building. He recognized two of them: the girl with bronze hair and the blonde boy. Lexrach and Roxas. What surprised him was that they were walking next to each other, sniggering about something. Roxas looked over at Axel and waved. The red-head waved back.

 

Roxas and Lexrach walked over to where the red-head was standing under his tree. Roxas grinned. "Hey Axel. Sorry I made you wait. I had detention, and I have it tomorrow too, so you'll have an extra hour to do whatever. Oh, and this is Lexrach…"

 

The bronze-haired girl looked up at Axel, distrust in her deep sapphire eyes. Axel didn't trust her either, knowing what she had done to Roxas a few days ago. The red-head stared back at her. "So you're the one who made Roxas eat mud…?"

 

"Yeah, so what if I am?" Lexrach narrowed her eyes. Roxas jumped between the two. "Guys, seriously. I don't want a fight. Personally, I'd just like to go home."

 

"Fuck." Lexrach clenched her teeth. Roxas raised an eyebrow, and the bronze-haired girl continued. "I forgot to tell the 'rents that I had detention, and cuz I broke my cell, I can't tell 'em now. Either of you dorks have a ride?"

 

"Axel does. And he'll drive you home. Riiiiight Axel?" Roxas glared at the red-head, who sighed. "Alright, let's just get this over with…"

 

The red-head shot a glare at Lexrach, who glared back menacingly. Axel turned and headed towards the parking lot, the two teens behind him. Roxas bit his lip nervously. 'I didn't expect Lexrach and Axel to hate each other so much… but maybe it was just the first impression they got from each other…'

 

The drive to Lexrach's house was tense, the silence being broken only by Lexrach spitting out instructions on which way to go. The three drove up to a small brick ranch house with a short blonde boy sitting on the porch. The red truck pulled up into the driveway and stopped. The blonde boy watched as his sister climbed out of the truck, a dejected look on her face. She walked over to the blonde, who nodded. "Hello Lexrach."

 

Lexrach sighed, watching the truck leave. "Hey Joxsh…"

 

"No luck?"

 

"No, but it's early. There's still a chance."

 

* * *

  
  


Chapter 9

 

Axel didn't want to take Roxas home. He didn't want to go home either. So he drove the two of them around. The red-head didn't know where he was going, and really, he didn't care. Roxas shifted in the seat next to him. "Hey Axel, where are we going?"

 

"Anywhere but reality." The red-head tapped his finger on the steering wheel, thinking. 'What the hell am I going to do now? There's no way I can pay my rent without a job.'

"Axel…" The red-head felt Roxas's hand on his shoulder. "I-is something wrong?"

 

The red-head pulled into a parking lot. He turned off the car and twisted so he was facing Roxas. "Well, Chexese is a he-bitch, I got fired, and it's raining. What more do you need?"

 

"Oh." Roxas gazed up into the red-head's emerald green eyes. They looked tired, annoyed, and just plain pissed off. The blonde threw himself onto Axel, wrapping his arms around the red-head. Axel blushed, not expecting to be pounced upon. The red-head blinked a few times, a grin forming on his face. He extracted his arm from Roxas's embrace, and lifted the blonde's face with his hand. Axel leaned onto the blonde, pressing his lips onto Roxas's. The teen's eyes flew open in surprise and he gasped. Axel poked his tongue into the blonde's mouth. Roxas pulled back. "Axel! W-what are you doing?"

 

The older man's face fell. The red-head closed his eyes. "I… I thought… I mean, if you don't want that… we can still be friends… right…? You know, prete--!"

 

Axel suddenly couldn't talk, seeing as a certain blonde had pressed his lips onto the red-head's. Axel grinned, running a hand through the blonde's hair. It was soft and Axel loved it. The grin on his face became even wider. Roxas wrapped his arms around the grinning red-head, and pressed closer. A soft moan came out of Axel, and he poked at Roxas's teeth, hoping to insert his tongue in the blonde's mouth. But once again, Roxas pulled back, panting. Axel hadn't realized that he was out of breath as well. The red-head put his hands behind his head and leaned back against the truck's window. "Well that was fun, huh Roxas?"

 

"One way to put it." Roxas leaned onto the older man, closing his eyes. Axel ran his hand through the blonde's hair, the same grin forming on his face. Roxas let out a slight whimper. "Axel…?"

 

"Mmm?" The red-head pulled Roxas closer. Roxas rested his chest on the red-head's chest. "I'm hungry."

 

Axel sighed. "Alright, we'll go back to my apartment and I'll see what I can do, k?"

 

"Okay." Roxas sat up and scooted back into his own seat. Axel started the car up and backed out onto the road. The two rode in silence, not awkward at all. Roxas hummed along to the song on the radio, Axel tapped his finger to the beat, careful not to get too consumed by the song. The two pulled into the parking deck next to Axel's apartment complex. Axel parked the car and the two slid out. The red-head walked over to Roxas and wrapped his arm around the teen's waist. Roxas copied the taller red-head, then leaned his head onto Axel's side. Axel ruffled the blonde's hair. "Don't fall asleep on me. I don't want to have to carry you anywhere."

 

Roxas chuckled, pressing his nose into Axel's side. The red-head flushed. Roxas pressed himself onto the red-head, moaning softly. Axel's face now matched his hair. The red-head bit his lip and looked down at the blonde boy pressed onto his side. Axel reached down and pulled Roxas off him. "Sorry, but it's hard to walk with you pressing into me. Not that I don't like it or anything… but…"

 

Axel's face grew hotter. He looked away from the blonde. 'It's hard to think with him like that…' Roxas sighed and squeezed Axel a bit, causing the older man's face to heat up again. 'Alright Roxy, you wanna tease me? Well, tease THIS!' Axel smirked, and slid his hand down so it touched Roxas's belt. The red-head stuck a finger between the belt and the pair of jeans the blonde was wearing. Roxas blushed, causing Axel's smirk to widen. The red-head then yanked Roxas's belt away from the blonde's body. Roxas turned bright red. "A-A-Axel!"

 

"That's what you get for teasing me Roxy." Axel didn't know where the name had come from. One thing was for certain: he hadn't meant to say it out loud. Roxas stared at Axel. "Um, what?"

 

"N-n-n-nothing! Nothingatall!" Axel could feel his face heating up again. Why did he have to blush so easily?!? "Aren't you hungry?"

 

"Oh, well, yeah." Roxas blinked, confused. Axel let out a heavy breath. "Good, cuz here's the elevators!"

 

The two rode up in silence, Axel silently cursing himself for having an apartment on the 8th floor. Finally the elevator dinged. Axel rushed off it, sprinting to his apartment. In the back of his mind, he knew Roxas was right behind him, but at the moment, that was the last thing on his mind. The red-head skidded to a stop at his door, and slammed his key into the lock. "Come on! Work! Work! Dammit! Work!"

 

"Um, Axel, that's the key to your truck…" Roxas tapped the red-head on the elbow. Axel grinned, grabbing the right key. The door opened and the two walked in. Axel turned to Roxas. "Hey, if this is over-whelming you, just tell me. I'm not used to dating 15 year old boys. Not used to dating boys in general… but never mind that."

 

"It's fine. I don't find this over-whelming… just… I dunno, different." Roxas shrugged, sitting down on the couch. Axel opened the fridge. "Yeah, and I haven't dated anyone for about two years, so…"

 

"Yeah." Roxas nodded. Axel couldn't see him, and the blonde couldn't see Axel's face. His face had turned red, but for a different reason this time. HER. Axel growled, slamming the fridge door. 'I haven't dated anyone since HER. I had planned to keep it that way, but then Roxas came along… I dunno, I guess I wish that he wasn't blonde like HER. That's all.'

 

Roxas watched Axel move around the kitchen, slamming door after door. The blonde knew that Axel was hiding something from him, but he wasn't sure what. And now certainly didn't seem to be the best time to ask him. Instead, Roxas came up with another, lamer, question to ask. "Axel, is it okay if I do my homework here? Not doing it is what got me in trouble…"

"Yeah. Sure, whatever." Axel slammed another door. "I don't really have any normal food here. Wanna bagel?"

 

"Okay…" Roxas looked up from yanking his papers from his backpack. The red-head came over with two bagels. He tossed one at Roxas, who caught it easily. The red-head nibbled on his bagel half-heartedly. Roxas took out a sheet of algebra problems and started to work on them. He scribbled down a couple answers, took a bite of bagel, and tapped his pencil. Axel peered at the problem Roxas was working on. "X is seven."

 

"Thanks." Roxas jotted down the answer. "I'm not really good at this…"

 

"It's fine." Axel kissed the blonde's cheek. "I'll help you out."

 

Roxas leaned onto the red-head and kissed his neck, biting down slightly. Axel sighed, closing his eyes. Roxas nipped again, and Axel moved his head so that more skin was exposed. Roxas bit the red-head one more time, then turned back to his work.

 

The two worked on Roxas's algebra homework, finishing it in under ten minutes. Roxas got out his next assignment. The one from Professor Saix. Roxas groaned, knowing that it wouldn't be fun. He picked up his pencil and was about to start working when he felt Axel's long, skinny arms wrap around him. Roxas was pulled back into the red-head's lap. Axel pressed his face into the blonde's hair. "You can work in my lap, right?"

 

"I guess…"

 

* * *

  
  


Chapter 10

 

Axel continued helping Roxas with his homework. The blonde was warm, Axel was tired, and his couch was rather comfortable. The red-head had slept there before. Axel sat his chin on the blonde's head and closed his eyes, sighing.

 

Roxas finished his final question. He had felt Axel set his head on Roxas's; the blonde didn't move his head. "Axel."

 

The red-head shifted so that his head now rested on Roxas's chin. He gnawed at the blonde's jaw. "Mmm?"

 

"What time is it?"

 

"Dunno." Axel kissed Roxas's jaw before sliding his head onto the blonde's shoulder. "Tired. You?"

 

"Yeah…" Roxas hadn't noticed it, he was too busy. But he was indeed tired. Roxas sighed and leaned into the red-head, who let out a soft moan and kissed the blonde's neck. Axel slid down so that he was lying on the couch with Roxas on top of him. A feeling Axel wasn't use to. The red-head closed his eyes again, not planning to open them for a while. Roxas, however, was having trouble. Laying on the red-head wasn't the most comfortable position ever. And because Axel's arms were still wrapped around him, he could not move. Roxas leaned his head back. "Axel, can you turn sideways?"

 

Axel did as he was told, readjusting his grip on the blonde. Roxas turned so that he was facing Axel. The blonde wrapped his arms around the red-headed man. "Night Axel."

 

Roxas woke up still wrapped around Axel. He didn't mind it at all. The blonde buried his head into the red-head's chest, letting out a soft murmur as he did. Axel was warm, and the last thing Roxas wanted to do was leave the warmth. He knew he had to, but Axel was still asleep. Roxas didn't want to have to wake him up. The blonde sighed and squished even closer to Axel. The red-head felt something moving, waking him up. His arms were wrapped around Roxas. Remembering what had happened the last time the blonde woke up like this, Axel pulled his arms out. Roxas moaned, pulling closer now that Axel's arms had disappeared. Axel rubbed the blonde's back. "Hey Roxas, could you let go of me?"

 

Pitiful looking blue eyes stared into the bright green ones. "Do I have to?"

 

"Yeah." Axel sighed, running his hand through the blonde's hair. "Unless you want to be late for school. And besides, I have to go find a job."

 

Roxas sighed and sat up, looking down at Axel, still stretched out on the couch, his spiky red hair flattened on one side. The red-head smirked up at the blonde. "Well, come on."

 

Axel got up and started making coffee. Roxas sat on the couch, still in his clothes from the day before. He looked over at the red-head, who was now sitting on the counter with his arms crossed. "Axel, I don't have any clothes…"

 

"I can fix that. I'm pretty sure I still have some old stuff from when I was short." Axel jumped off the counter and walked into his room. A few minutes later, he came out with a black tee-shirt and ripped jeans. He tossed them to Roxas. "You can change and do whatever else you need to in my room."

 

Roxas nodded and went into Axel's room. Closing the door behind him, he looked around. It was a small room, with three red walls. The fourth wall was black with realistic flames coming out of it. The double bed matched the fourth wall. Roxas stretched his toes out, feeling the carpet. It was rather soft, not that there was much of the blood red carpet showing. Most of it was covered with… stuff. Roxas picked his way through it all and climbed on the bed. He flopped back, surprised by the softness. This was almost paradise; Roxas wondered how the red-head could afford it all. He fell of the bed and changed into his borrowed clothes. The pants were a bit too long, but Roxas didn't care. Frayed edges would only add to the affect.

 

A ding sounded from outside. Roxas heard Axel exclaim "Coffee's ready!" before the blonde walked into the bathroom. He searched around for some hair gel, seeing as his spikes were sagging a bit. Finding some, the blonde ran it through his hair, making sure the spikes were still going off to the side. As he put the gel back, he noticed another bottle. He picked it up, still unsure if what he had seen was an illusion or not. "Does this really say AXEL body spray???"

 

Upon closer inspection, he realized it was nothing other than boring Axe body spray. Roxas grinned. "It would've been cool if it was Axel body spray…"

 

An idea popped into his head. "Hey Axel!"

 

"Yeah?"

 

"Do you have a silver sharpie I can borrow?"

 

"There's one on my dresser! Why do you ask?"

 

"You'll see!" Roxas grabbed the body spray and flew over to the dresser. Knocking some things off, he searched for the sharpie. Finding it, he added one letter to the spray and left the room. The blonde walked over to Axel, can behind his back. "Hey Axel, you'll never guess what I found in your room…"

 

Axel turned pale. "Uhm… I dunno. What?"

 

"This." Axel turned around to find the blonde haired teen holding up a can of body spray. And on it read "AXEL" The red-head stared at it, confused. He didn't have anybody spray named after him… "Where'd you get that?"

 

Roxas snickered and ran his thumb over the L, erasing it completely. "Guess."

 

"Clever." Axel grinned. He held his hand out for the body spray. "I'll take that now. I still have to change."

 

"Okay." Roxas nodded, watching the red-head go into his own room and close the door behind him.

 

Axel stepped out of his room, wearing a black tee shirt with a flame on it, leather skinny jeans, and his usual black combat boots. His hair glistened from the hair gel he had applied. The red-head turned to Roxas. "Alright, let's go."

 

The two walked out of Axel's apartment and down to the elevators. Axel grabbed the blonde's hand. Roxas squeezed it slightly, smiling up at the red-head. Axel grinned back as they entered the elevator. The doors closed and Axel leaned down, kissing Roxas's forehead. Roxas grabbed the red-head and pulled him down so that they were eye level. Roxas pressed his lips onto Axel's. Axel wrapped his arms around the blonde's waist, pulling him closer. Roxas moaned. Axel smirked through the kiss, and swiped his tongue over the blonde's lips.

 

Ding! The elevator doors opened, and the two broke apart, Axel cursing the elevator inside his head. 'Dammit! Every time I try to get into his mouth… either we need to breathe or the elevator gets to the ground floor!'

  


* * *

 

Chapter 11

 

Axel pulled into a parking space and opened the door, only to be blasted by the cold air. He crossed his arms, reluctant to get out. Roxas walked out into the cold, seeming to be unfazed by the wind biting at him. The blonde walked around the truck and stood outside of Axel's still open door. "Well, are you getting out or not?"

 

"It's cold…"

 

"It's November. What do you expect?" Roxas laughed, and pulled a reluctant red-head out of the truck. Axel groaned. "I hate the cold."

 

"You hate rain, you hate the cold. Anything that you actually like?"

 

"The heat. I'd rather it be 125 degrees out here than 45." Axel gritted his teeth as the two walked towards the building. Roxas rolled his eyes, laughing. He was used to the cold, in fact, the blonde loved it. Axel twitched. Roxas snorted and grabbed onto Axel's waist. The blonde nuzzled into the red-head. Axel's face heated up, and, in a hope for Roxas to continue, he moaned. Axel felt Roxas's hand slip up his shirt. The blonde's hand was cold, but it somehow relaxed Axel. He closed his eyes and stopped walking. Axel reached down and grabbed Roxas's waist, pulling the teen closer. Roxas gripped Axel's waist tighter, his fingernails pricking Axel's skin. Axel moaned, and inched Roxas closer. "Why are you such a teaser?"

 

The red-head didn't give the younger boy a chance to respond. Axel smashed his lips onto Roxas's, flicking out his tongue instantly. Roxas's mouth had been opened to respond, and Axel used that to poke his tongue in. the red-head flicked his tongue over Roxas's, causing the teen to moan. Axel smirked. 'So you like that, huh Roxy?' The red-head slid his hand down Roxas's back. Finding the end of the blonde's shirt, Axel shot his hand up the teens bare back. Roxas moaned again, Axel flicked his tongue over the blonde's. Roxas pulled back to breathe. "A-Axel…"

 

"Yeah?" The red-head nipped at Roxas's lower lip. Roxas pulled Axel's face back. "I'm going to be late."

 

Axel sighed. Roxas stood up and kissed the red-head's neck. He then turned away and walked into the high school. Axel watched the blonde go, suddenly feeling very cold and empty. He closed his eyes, and just stood there in the cold.

 

After freezing his ass off for about ten minutes, Axel turned and headed back to his car. He opened the door, climbed in, closed the door, and started up the car. He then began to drive around, looking for a job.

 

Roxas meanwhile, was sitting in first period, listening to his teacher's boring monologue. The blonde's mind began to wander, a certain red-head coming to mind. Roxas closed his eyes, sighing. 'He smelled good. Like cinnamon. Cinnamon and smoke. He smells like what I'm wearing. Probably because I'm using his clothes.'

 

The bell rang, and Roxas left to go to his next class. The math teacher collected the homework from the night before, homework that Axel had helped the blonde complete. Chexese glared at Roxas, who just smirked back at the brunette. The teacher walked back to the front of the class, set down the papers, and turned to the class. "I am going to stop teaching here for the rest of the year. Principal Diz has found a respectable substitute for me, and I hope that you will respect them."

 

A girl with long purple hair raised her hand. "And who exactly is replacing you?"

 

"I do not know. Diz hasn't told me who it will be. But I assure you, the replacement is skilled in mathematics."

 

"Is it a girl or a guy?" Joxsh snarled at the teacher. "It is a man."

 

"Is he some old wrinkled thing?" A boy with dark orange, spiky hair raised his eyebrows. The teacher shook her head. "No, he is rather young. Only about twenty or so."

 

A couple girls giggled, probably wondering if the new teacher would be hot or not. Roxas scrunched his eyebrows. 'Axel's twenty. He's also pretty good at math…'

 

"Alright!" The teacher clapped her hands together, a strained smile on her face. "Let's continue, shall we?"

 

Their teacher then proceeded to explain some math-things. Roxas blacked out again. 'What if Axel was my teacher? That would be weird… and cool at the same time. But, would he treat me like Saix treats Chexese? Would we end up like them? Although… if Axel was our new teacher… he hates Chexese. Chexese would FINALLY get what's coming to him!' Roxas turned to the brunette sitting next to him, and evil smirk appearing on his face. Chexese just raised his eyebrow, obviously confused. Roxas sniggered. 'Oh, I can't wait to see his face if Axel IS the teacher…'

 

* * *

  


Chapter 12

 

Axel tapped his foot, waiting in line for his coffee. He peered around the man in front of him, counting the people in front of him in the line. Six. Axel had been standing there for over ten minutes, and he wasn't in the mood to wait any longer. The red-head groaned. "Dammit, could this line be any slower?"

 

No one answered the question. Axel glared at the back of the man's head. He sighed, and left the line. "I can get cheaper coffee somewhere else."

 

The red-head stepped out of line and exited the coffee shop. It was still cold. Axel shivered, reminding himself that he had to go get a coat somewhere. Axel walked down the street. A girl walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around to see a golden-blonde haired girl standing there. She giggled at him. "Hey, my name is Xalva!"

 

"Hey." Axel turned away. Xalva grabbed the red-head's shirt collar and spun him around. "You free tonight?"

 

"I already have someone. That I'm dating. Sorry to turn you down, but it shouldn't be that hard to find someone else who is free." Axel's smile was strained. He turned and continued walking, away from the prostitute. Before Roxas, the red-head would have said yes. Axel shuddered, maybe from the cold, maybe by the thoughts flying through his head. He shook his head and walked into a small café, hoping there wouldn't be a line.

 

There wasn't one, luckily. Axel walked up to the counter and ordered his food and a cup of coffee. He sat down and began the usual routine of picking at his food. The red-head didn't eat much, he found some sick pleasure in keeping himself hungry. That wasn't always the case. Before Axel had met HER, he had been normal. Even while they were dating, he still ate like normal people. It was the day SHE left. That's when everything fell apart.

 

Axel sipped his coffee, reliving his memories. He looked up at the clock. It read 1:30. Axel sighed, taking another sip of coffee. The red-head tapped his fingers on the coffee cup, wondering what Roxas was doing. It seemed that his mind was always on the blonde. Either that, or he was thinking about HER. Axel preferred Roxas. Roxas left him in a bad mood. Roxas always left Axel with this strange feeling of contentment. Axel smiled to himself, a smile forming on his face. 'Maybe Roxas is the best thing that ever happened to me. I don't know why, but I don't regret anything that happened between Roxas and I.'

 

Axel took out a lettuce leaf and nibbled on the edge of it. The red-head sat the lettuce down. He then ripped a piece of bread off and threw it in his mouth. Finished, Axel threw his sandwich into the trash, grabbed his coffee, and left. Even though Axel was still hungry, he didn't want to eat anything. A man ran past Axel, long black hair pulled back into a ponytail. For a second, the red-head thought it was Xigbar, but he noticed that the man's streaks were green and purple. Axel smirked, wondering what the man was running from. A gush of wind hit the red-head, and he ducked into a clothing store, in hope to find a jacket.

"Hello. Welcome to the Walmart-That-Never-Was." Axel waved at the salesperson, telling them he didn't need help. The red-head walked over to a section marked "coats." He searched, finding a simple black hoodie. Axel picked it up. "It would better with flames…"

 

Axel looked over the jacket to see one just like it, except with red flames on the sleeves. The red-head grinned, tossed the plain black jacket over his shoulder, and yanked that one off instead. He walked up to the counter, paid for it, and left. Outside, Axel ripped off the tags and shrugged the jacket on.

 

Five o-clock. Axel sighed, and began a long walk back to the high school. It didn't take him long before he realized that he was lost. The red-head knew he was still in Twilight Town, but he had never been to this area before. He walked past large, gated houses with huge, perfect yards. 'This is definitely up-town…' Axel thought, searching for any other signs of life. But it seemed as all the rich people were sitting inside their houses. Axel crossed his arms and leaned back onto a column. He turned his head so that he was looking at the bars on the fence. The red-head reached out to touch it, only to be zapped by a slight shock.

"Shit!" Axel yanked his hand back, wringing it wildly. Standing up, he continued walking, hoping to find civilization.

 

"Hey, Mr. Fire-head!" Axel turned to see a teen with blonde pigtails waving at him. She was wearing a lime green vest with an orange turtleneck, along with red skinny jeans. Axel raised an eyebrow at the girl, who just smiled back at him. "My name's Kax! Who're you?"

 

"I'm Axel." The red-head blinked in confusion. Kax narrowed her eyes and tilted her head to the side. "You aren't from Twilight Town, are you?"

 

"No, I live here… actually for only two years… but…"

 

"No no no. I mean that you're from Weir-- I mean downtown, right?" Kax's eyes widened. Axel nodded. "And I'm lost. Do you know how to get back down town?"

 

"Well yeah, but it'll be faster if I drive you there!" With that, Kax ran to the gate of the house across the street, typed in the code, dashed up the driveway, and walked into the garage. Seconds later an orange Volkswagen Bug pulled out. Kax backed down the driveway, and across the street. Axel jumped out of the way in an attempt to not get hit by the Bug. It hit the sidewalk and stopped. Axel breathed, looking around the car to where Kax was getting out. "Are you sure it's safe…?"

 

"Yep!" Kax grinned. "I've only ran into a tree and a trash can so far!"

 

Axel stared at the girl. 'This is not the smartest thing that I have ever done…' Sighing, the red-head climbed into the car. Kax took off.

 

* * *

  
  


Chapter 13

 

Roxas sat on the back of Axel's truck, waiting for the red-head. He sighed and drummed his fingers on the truck. 'Where is he? I've been here for thirty minutes!'

 

An orange Bug skidded into the parking lot, throwing debris into the blonde's face. The passenger-side door was flung open and a very freaked-out looking red-head jumped out and onto Roxas. The blonde let out a squeak, attempting to get out from under the red-head.

 

A girl with blonde pigtails leaned out of the Bug. "Bye Axel!"

 

Roxas looked up at Axel, who hadn't gotten off the smaller blonde. "Care to tell me who that was?"

 

"Kax." The teen raised an eyebrow. Axel pressed his lips to the blonde's forehead. "Don't worry. I just got lost and she gave me a ride back here."

 

"You're late." Roxas pouted. Axel ran his hand through the blonde's hair, a grin on his face. "I know, Rox. And I'd make it up to you, but I have to check something."

 

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "I might have a job."

 

"As a math teacher here?" Roxas leaned forward, resting his chin on the red-head's neck. Axel licked the blonde's ear. "Maybe."

 

"Did you just lick me???" Roxas shot up, staring straight at Axel, his blue eyes wide. The emerald eyes sparkled. Axel leaned forward and licked Roxas's nose. "Maybe."

 

The blonde teen moved so that his nose touched the red-head's. Roxas flicked out his tongue, hitting Axel's lips. The red-head pressed into the younger male, mashing lips. Almost immediately, Axel shoved his tongue into the blonde's mouth. Roxas flicked his tongue over the older man's in a teasing way. Axel poked at the blonde's tongue, letting the blonde know he wasn't going to lose. Roxas nipped on the red-head's tongue, but the red-head continued chasing tongues. Axel's tongue pinned down the blonde's before flicking over it. Roxas nipped at Axel's tongue, letting the red-head know it was time to breathe. Axel pulled back.

 

"Axel?"

 

"Mm?"

 

"Can I sit in your lap?" Roxas looked up at the red-head. Axel grinned and pulled the small blonde into his lap, resting his head amongst the soft blonde spikes. The red-head let out a sigh, burying his face into Roxas's hair. It smelled good, like strawberry kiwi or something. Axel smiled, pulling Roxas closer. The blonde closed his eyes and leaned into the red-head. The two sat there, not really noticing the cold, before Axel pulled away. "Shit! We better get out of here!"

 

Roxas slid off the red-head, keeping his face in the shadows. Axel didn't need to see the sadness written all over Roxas's face. The blonde walked around and got into the car, sulking. Axel didn't seem to notice as he drove Roxas back to the blonde's apartment.

 

The two walked to Roxas's apartment. Roxas was about to unlock the door when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked over his shoulder to see what Axel wanted. The red-head sighed. "Roxas, I…"

 

"Don't say anything. I know what you mean." Roxas kissed the red-head before letting himself into the apartment. The blonde closed the door, leaving Axel standing outside, confused. The red-head put his head on the door and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry. For whatever you think I did."

 

Axel felt himself fall forward, but caught himself. Standing back up, the red-head looked down at Roxas standing in the now opened doorway. He grabbed the blonde and mashed his lips onto the teen's. Roxas's eyes widened for a moment before closing as the blonde relaxed. Axel flicked his tongue over the blonde's lips before pulling back. "Don't do that to me! I thought you were really pissed at me!"

 

Roxas smiled. "Teasing is fun. Now go see if you got a job."

 

"Alright." The red-head pressed his lips to the blonde's one more time. He then turned and left. "Goodnight Rox. I love you."

 

Roxas felt his heart skip a beat. "I-- I love you too."

  


* * *

  
  


Chapter 14

 

Axel lay on his bed, his stomach growling. The red-head hadn't had much to eat that day, only a pinch of bread and some lettuce. And that was ten hours ago. Now Axel was trying to get to sleep, but was having trouble. He turned over onto his back, sighing. 'I miss Roxy.' Axel closed his eyes, picturing the blonde boy he had left four hours ago. It seemed more like four days. The red-head thought of how Roxas smelled, the feel of the blonde's lips on his own. A smile crossed Axel's face. He sat up suddenly, hunger over-coming him. The red-head walked into the kitchen and opened up the refrigerator. Green eyes flicked across the contents, stopping on a bag of bagels.

 

"It'll do." The red-head pulled one out and bit down on it. It tasted so… good. Axel began to wonder why he was still starving himself. He knew it had to do with HER, but the red-head couldn't recall what exactly it was. Axel yawned. Shoving the last piece of bagel into his mouth, the red-head went back into his room and turned on his laptop. He went immediately to his email. There were three messages. The first one was from Zexion, asking Axel if he would be able to come to a New Year's party that he and Demyx were planning. Axel said that he might be able to come.

 

The next one was from Oblivion High School. Axel had, in fact, gotten a job as a math teacher. Roxas's math teacher, actually. Axel grinned, going to the next email. He didn't recognize the name, but clicked it anyway.

 

'Hey Axel, this is Roxas. I was wondering if, since we're always at each other's house, if it would just make more sense for you to move in with us or us to move in with you.' Axel smirked, clicking reply. 'I didn't know you had an email. You seriously need to tell me these things, Rox. But, yeah, that'd be cool with me. You and your mom can move in with me. I have a spare bedroom for your mom. You can have my room. I'll take the couch.'

 

Axel sent it. A few seconds later, Roxas had replied. 'No, you don't have to take the couch.'

 

'Where would I sleep then? The floor?' As Axel hit the send button, he hoped that Roxas would reply that he wanted the red-head to sleep with him. (NOT THAT WAY YOU PERVS!) The blonde sent a reply. Axel opened the email, his heart thumping in hope. Three words were on the screen: 'Or with me.'

 

"YES!" Axel pumped his fist in the air before falling back onto his bed. The bed he would soon be sharing with Roxas. Axel had a sudden urge to squeal like a little girl. At that thought, he laughed and closed his laptop, deciding to go to bed.

  


* * *

  
  


Chapter 15

 

Axel woke up to his phone ringing. The red-head growled at it and threw a pillow over his head, hoping to muffle the noise. Eventually it shut up and began recording the message. "Axel, hi. I was wondering if you were awake yet. I guessed that you would be, seeing as it's…"

 

"It feels like seven in the morning." Axel said from under the pillow.

 

"1:30 in the afternoon. I don't know, just call me back. Uh, bye." Axel heard Roxas hang up the phone. The red-head laid under his pillow for a few minutes, then extracted his arm and felt around for his cell phone. Axel grabbed it and pulled it under his pillow. He dialed the number Roxas had left, and waited for the blonde to answer.

 

"Axel?"

 

"Yeah?"

 

"Oh good. I did get the right number…"

 

"How exactly did you get my number… and my email?"

 

"Not telling."

 

"Fine then. Hey, could you do me a favor and help me set up my room?"

 

"Huh?"

 

"Classroom Roxas. Got it memorized?" Axel rolled his eyes, snorting slightly.

 

"So… you got the job? You're my math teacher?"

 

"Yep."

 

"Cool! And sure, I'll help you unpack or whatever. Just come pick me up. I'll be ready whenever. Bye Ax." Roxas pressed the end button on his phone. Axel closed his and got out from under the pillow. He shook out his hair, knowing he would have to re-do it anyways. The red-head slid off his bed, leaving it's warmth behind, and changed into actual clothes.

 

'Now to tame the beast that calls itself my hair…' The red-head sighed, walking into his bathroom and pulling out his bottle of hair gel. It was getting light, Axel reminded himself to get more later that day.

 

Knock. Roxas ran to the door, knowing it was Axel. He opened the door and jumped on the red-head, who stepped back. Roxas kissed Axel's neck. "Hey Ax."

 

Axel didn't reply, instead he picked up the blonde on his shoulders and started walking, careful not to let Roxas's head hit the ceiling. Roxas sat his head amongst the porcupine-like spikes, surprised that, when some of them poked at his neck, he wasn't impaled. The blonde closed his eyes, wanting to stay up there forever. Axel shifted his weight. "Roxas, we're here. You have to get off now."

 

Roxas sighed, sliding down Axel's back. The two climbed into the truck and drove off towards Oblivion High School. The two rode in silence, the music from the radio being the only noise in the car. Roxas stared out the window, the view familiar. Before Axel, he had walked this way every day to get to school.

 

They pulled into the parking lot and began to unload boxes from the back of Axel's truck. The red-head shifted a box so that he could pick up another one. "Jeez, who knew that you needed so much to have in a room."

 

Roxas grinned from behind his two boxes. The two walked up to the building, Axel brushing Roxas's arm every three seconds. The red-head liked it when Roxas blushed. He found it kind of cute, actually.

 

Axel sat down one of the boxes and took out a key. He opened the doors to the school and the two walked into the building. 'It was strange to be in a school on a Saturday' Roxas thought, looking around. Their footsteps echoed, bouncing off the walls. Roxas didn't feel right being here. He walked closer to the red-head, who didn't seem to notice the eerie silence. Axel glanced down at the nervous blonde. "What's wrong, Rox?"

 

"I really don't know. Something just doesn't seem… right… about being in a school on a Saturday. And… it's too quiet."

 

"Yeah, that is a bit unsettling. Where are we going anyway?" Roxas pointed at a door near the end of the hall. "That one."

 

Axel sighed. "Well that's great."

 

Roxas grinned.

 

The two unpacked the boxes quickly. When the last item was unpacked, Axel stretched himself out across four desks. The red-head lay there, staring up at the tiled ceiling. Roxas sat a few desks away, swinging his feet. "Hey Axel…"

 

Axel lifted his head. Roxas stared at his feet. "That girl… Kax… she was from downtown, right?"

 

"No." Axel raised an eyebrow. "She lived in one of those huge houses in North Twilight Town. Why do you ask?"

 

"She didn't seem like she belonged with normal people…" Axel turned his head to the side, wanting the blonde to explain what he meant. Roxas sighed. "You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?"

 

"No. Care to explain?"

 

"Downtown is more commonly known as Weirdville. It's where anything goes. Gays, transvestites, prostitutes, transsexuals, bisexuals, pedophiles, pyro-maniacs, basically only people who are messed up in some way are supposed to live here. It's been like that for a while. Here, anyone normal is stared at like they're a freak. Here, it's perfectly normal to see two girls making out, or two boys. Teachers are allowed to have relationships with the students. Nothing here is weird but being normal."

 

"Seriously? Why did this happen?"

 

"South Twilight Town was created as a safe haven for the freaks. Now, it's referred to as Weirdville or Downtown. But it isn't downtown, downtown is the border."

 

"Border?"

 

"Between weird and normal. That's the only place weirdos can see normals, and vice versa." Roxas paused. "Not like the abnormal can't leave or go to Uptown. You went there yesterday."

 

"Yeah. It was weird. No one was outside, the houses all had iron gates and fences. Everything there seemed perfect. Too perfect for my taste. I could never live there." Axel curled his lip at the thought of going back there. Sure, it had screamed power, but there was a quieter voice telling all that entered that they wouldn't find life outside of a house. "Kax didn't seem to belong there either."

 

"She's probably sixteen. And her parents aren't going to kick her out until she's eighteen." Roxas shrugged like it wasn't that big a deal.

 

"What?!? Her parents would kick her out onto the streets?!?"

 

Roxas nodded. A thought crossed the blonde's mind as he looked up at the red-head. "How did you end up here anyway?"

 

"I left my home when I was eighteen. I was tired of everyone calling me a freak. And I didn't want to get arrested again." Axel noticed the blonde raise an eyebrow. "It was only because I had serious anger problems. Whenever someone started annoying me, I'd beat them into a pulp. I never killed anyone, but I have slashed at people with knives before. I left because I didn't want to put my siblings in danger. They were safer without me."

 

Axel had sat up, and was now sitting with his chin on his knees, eyes closed. Roxas walked over and sat next to the red-head. "I thought I had it bad…"

 

"What do you mean?" Axel raised his head. Roxas was going to respond when the door was swung open.

 

"HOLY FUCKING SHIT NO!!!" Chexese stood in the doorway, eyes wide as saucers and mouth hanging open. "PLEASE DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE THE TEACHER!"

 

"Hello Chexese." Axel stood up and walked over to the gawking brunette. "I am Axel, your math teacher. Got it memorized?"

 

Roxas, meanwhile, was trying not to laugh. 'Hey Chexmix, guess what? YOU FAIL! And you are finally gonna get what's coming for you…'

 

* * *

  
  


Chapter 16

 

The next Monday was one of the best days Roxas had ever had. Chexese got in trouble for not doing his homework in Axel's class. At lunch, the red-head sat with Roxas and Namine. Roxas didn't notice it, but the red-head hadn't eaten much of his food. Roxas thought that it was because, for the most part, the three of them had been joking about Chexese and Saix.

Axel's life had changed, the red-head didn't know if it was a good thing or not, but he did get to see more of the blonde. Axel's favorite class was definitely his second period. He had changed the seating around. Roxas now sat next to Axel's desk and Chexese was right in the middle, so that Axel could watch him easily from where ever the red-head was.

 

The month changed from November to December. It got colder, frost started to cover the grass in the morning. Roxas loved the crunching sound it made; Axel just wished it wasn't cold enough to snow.

 

It was the last day before winter break. Last period, and Axel was failing to keep his class on task. They were more interested in getting out of class. Axel couldn't blame them, either. He glanced out the window to see that everything was white. "Oh great. It's snowing."

 

That comment didn't help to calm the class. They all got up and raced to the window, pushing and shoving each other to get to see the snow. Axel groaned. "Seriously you guys? You sure that you aren't nine instead of in ninth grade? I mean, it's only snow."

 

"But it looks so cool!" The students, upon finding out that Axel didn't take on the snobby teachers-are-higher-and-mightier-than-students attitude, they had started treating him like he was one of them. Axel didn't mind, he preferred the students topics against the teachers complaining about politics. And their students disabilities.

 

"I know, but seriously guys, there's only ten minutes until we can all leave and get the hell out of here." Axel didn't even bother to clean up his language around the students either. "Now I'm giving you five seconds to sit down before I start handing out detentions."

 

The students grumbled but did what they were told, used to Axel's mood swings. They were, after all, high schoolers. Axel continued with the lesson, his mind elsewhere. Roxas, to be specific. The blonde and his mother had moved into the red-head's large apartment two weeks ago, and Roxas's mother had gotten a job uptown as a model. It didn't surprise anyone. Roxas's mom said that she always knew she'd end up as either a model or a prostitute, but a model was legal.

 

Axel smiled as that thought crossed his mind. Now he was feeling the uneasiness of the students. He almost let them out early, before realizing that wouldn't be the smartest idea. Chexese was failing in Axel's class. And Saix was looking for anything that would get Axel fired. Because the first thing you learned when you started working at Oblivion High was that A) you do not fail Chexese if he's in your class and B) Saix sees everything and knows all. Nothing ever got past the sharp-eyed professor and Axel knew it. The red-head worked his ass off to cover any mistakes Saix might find.

 

The bell rang. Finally. Axel yanked his coat off of its hook, shrugged it on, grabbed his things, and left the classroom after the students had cleared out. He walked to the front of the school, standing just inside the door. There he waited for Roxas.

 

The blonde sprinted forward, a huge grin on his face, and tackled Axel down. "Axel! Axel! Axel! It's snowing!"

 

"Yeah. So I noticed…" Axel sat up and kissed the blonde on the forehead. "Does this mean you're going to drag me out tomorrow morning so we can go outside?"

 

"Of course! Snow is always fresh in the morning!" Roxas smiled. Axel sighed, shaking his head. "Well, there go my chances of sleeping in. Instead I have to leave my warm bed, my warm house, to go outside and freeze my ass off pleasing my boyfriend."

 

"Jeez, when you put it that way I feel guilty…!"

 

"So you'll let me stay inside?"

 

"Not a chance!" Roxas yanked the red-head off the floor and dragged him outside. Axel groaned, wondering how anyone could find this fun. Roxas pulled the red-head down the stairs and onto the ground. The two raced to "their" tree (the one Chexese had shoved Roxas into the mud by); Namine stood next to it, her white coat blending into the snow. The small girl smiled as her friend and his boyfriend ran up to them. "Hey guys!"

 

"Hey Nam." Roxas stopped pulling Axel, and the red-head retreated under the tree. The red-head glared at the two blondes, who just laughed at his expression. Axel growled. "Shut up, will you? I hate snow."

 

"How? Snow is amazing!" Namine reached down with a gloved hand and pulled some snow up. She looked over at Roxas with her right eyebrow raised. Roxas blinked twice, and Namine turned back to the red-head sulking under the tree. "Think fast!"

 

A snowball came hurling at Axel's face. Before he could react, cold snow hit him. The red-head began to wipe it off, slightly pissed at Namine. Slightly meaning he was planning how to get back at her. An icicle on the edge of the tree gave him an idea. He snapped it off and began to inch his way to Namine. Roxas glanced at Axel. "Namine… some one's looking for revenge…"

 

Namine spun around and was hit with a snowball. Axel stood there, icicle sitting in the snow and a smirk on his face. Roxas laughed. "I didn't see that one coming!"

 

"You weren't supposed to." Axel grabbed the blonde and smashed his lips against the younger ones. Roxas gasped and Axel thrust his tongue into the blonde's mouth. Roxas closed his eyes and wrapped his hands around the red-head, pulling them closer. Axel moaned, lowering his own hands and closing the space between the two males hips. Roxas moaned as his hips smashed against the red-head's. Axel flicked his tongue across Roxas's, running it back and forth. It was warm inside the blonde's mouth; Axel didn't want to leave, whimpering as Roxas pulled back to breathe.

 

Namine laughed. "Get a room you guys! People are staring."

 

Axel smirked. "Or a tree…" He dragged Roxas under their tree, pressing the blonde against the bark and kissing him fiercely. Axel pressed his whole body against the blonde's, hoping to transfer as much heat as possible between the two. Roxas moaned, causing Axel only to press more. He could feel their hips grinding against each other, and the red-head liked it. He shoved his hips into the blonde's causing Roxas to moan loudly. "Axel…"

 

"You like that…?"

 

"It hurts."

 

"You'll get used to it…" As long as Christmas went exactly as Axel had planned it. The red-head kissed Roxas's nose before breaking away. "Come on, Roxy, we'd better go home."

 

"Okay with me. And Axel…" Axel bit his lip. Roxas pressed up against the red-head's side. "Keep calling me Roxy. I like it."

  


* * *

  
  


Chapter 17

 

"Axel! Axel! Come on Axel! Wake up!" Roxas shook the red-head, who groaned into his pillow. Roxas sighed, staring down at the red-head. The blonde then ripped back the sheets. Axel curled up. "Hey! What was that for?"

 

"You're awake." Roxas kissed Axel's forehead. The red-head flopped back down onto the bed, groaning. "It's too early!"

 

"It's 9:00 Axel. And besides, we have to go meet Namine, Lexrach, and Joxsh in the park."

"Why?" Axel whined, not eager to get up, much less to go outside in the cold snow. Roxas leaned forward and grabbed the red-head around the waist. The blonde yanked Axel out of bed, and the red-head fell to the floor, letting out a rather nice word as he did. Roxas just rolled his eyes. "Fine. If you're gonna be a bitch about it, then we're over."

 

"WHAT?!?" Axel sprung up and grabbed the blonde by his shoulders. "You can't leave! I need you!"

 

"I know Ax." Roxas kissed the red-head. Axel let go of Roxas, relieved. He didn't want to live without the blonde. He COULDN'T. He didn't know what would happen if Roxas just left him. No, he did. The blonde would become a horrid memory, his name would be forgotten, and every time Axel thought of Roxas, it would bring back the bad. Axel jumped at the blonde, hugging him, not letting go. "Don't leave me. Don't even joke about it."

 

"I won't Axel. I promise." Roxas leaned his head back onto Axel's shoulder. "I love you, and I need you, too."

 

The two arrived in the park about twenty minutes later. Lexrach and Joxsh were standing next to a telephone pole while Namine paced back and forth. She looked up as Roxas and Axel got into view. "Hey guys. Glad you could make it."

 

Roxas shrugged. Axel rolled his eyes. "Against my will, may I add."

 

"Well, you guys coming or not?" Namine turned and walked back to where Joxsh and Lexrach were standing. Axel scooped up some snow, packed it into a ball, and threw it at Namine's head. The blonde girl spun around. "Who did that?!?"

 

"Roxas." The red-head pointed a finger at his boyfriend, who glared at Axel. "I did not."

 

A snowball hit Roxas in the chest, causing the blonde to take a step backwards. Lexrach laughed. "Don't be a jerk Roxas. Namine couldn't even see that coming."

 

"Oh, you are so going to get it…" And so the fight began. Snowballs flew, smacking into every body part. They dodged, they threw, and they got hit repeatedly. Thirty minutes later and the five collapsed on the snow, wet and cold, but laughing too hard to notice. Axel turned his head so that he was looking at the blonde teen next to him. "You started this, you know."

 

"I did not. You did." Roxas wiped his wet bangs out of his face. Axel chuckled. "Liar."

The blonde threw snow at his boyfriend, laughing at Axel when the red-head let out a yelp of surprise. "Hey! I thought that it was over!"

 

"Hm… who said?" Another snowball tossed at Axel's face. The red-head narrowed his eyes and turned away from Roxas. Roxas sniggered and grabbed snow. He scooted himself towards Axel, ball of snow in hand. The blonde pulled back Axel's jacket and stuffed the snowball down the red-head's shirt. Axel let out a very un-Axel-like squeak as he tried to get the snowball out of his shirt. "You bitch! You sneaky bitch!"

 

By now, the four teens were having trouble breathing because of their laughter. Axel glared at Roxas. "This is not funny!"

 

"Yeah, Axel, it is." Joxsh snorted through his laughter. Lexrach and Namine nodded in agreement. Axel lay down in the snow, giving up. He looked at his boyfriend, and pointed at his chest. "Roxas. Head here. Now."

 

Roxas lay down so that his head was where Axel had been pointing. Axel wrapped his arms around Roxas, sighing. "You're warm."

 

"I don't feel warm. I'm freezing!" Roxas smushed himself against the red-head. Lexrach snorted. "Dammit, get a room. Anyway, it's almost one. Wanna get lunch?"

 

"Sure." Roxas pulled himself away from the red-head. Axel stood up, and the five started walking to Axel's car. Axel looked at Lexrach. "Any idea where we're going?"

 

"There's a great pizza place at the north end of Downtown. I thought that would be good." She shrugged, not making eye contact with the red-head. Lexrach had never liked Axel, and Axel wasn't too fond of her, either. But he had to admit that she was skilled in math, and would often question the answers Axel told the class.

 

The ride there was quiet, other than Lexrach telling Axel when to turn. The five entered the pizza parlor, glad for the heating. Axel went up to ask for a table. The girl behind the desk stared at Axel. "South Twilight Town, I presume?"

 

"Yeah. So how long'll the wait be?"

 

"Depends." She said, flicking her purple hair back. She glared at the red-head. Steel gray eyes met emerald green. She narrowed hers. "Sit down. Or you will not get a table here."

Axel raised an eyebrow but left her alone and went to sit on a bench with the other four. Roxas's face was questioning, Axel shook his head. "We have to wait. I don't know how long it'll be…"

 

Lexrach crossed her arms and leaned back, closing her eyes. Joxsh stared at the floor, Namine the ceiling. Axel put his arm around Roxas's waist, pulling him close. The red-head watched people come in and out.

 

Fifteen minutes later and they had a table. They ordered their food. Axel peered around Roxas's head, thinking he saw someone he knew. There sat Kax, talking to someone else that Axel couldn't see. Roxas turned to see what the red-head was looking at. "That's Kax, right?"

 

Axel nodded. He hadn't seen the hyper blonde since he had been lost in Uptown and she had driven him back. The red-head poked Roxas. "Can you see who she's talking to?"

 

"Not really…" Roxas turned and poked Kax. "Hey Kax…"

 

"Oh hey! You're Axel's boyfriend, right?" Kax grinned, turning around. A gasp came from the girl Kax had been talking to. "Wait, Kax, did you say his name was Axel…?"

 

The red-head adjusted his seat, and looked straight into the blue-green eyes of HER.

  


* * *

  
  


Chapter 18

 

"Axel? It really is you!" SHE grinned. Axel sat there; the red-head felt something churning inside of him. A rage that he knew would pour out of him if he didn't leave. SHE stood up and walked over to the red-head's table. "You remember me, right? I'm Larxene. We dated a few years ago…"

 

Larxene. That was her name. Not like it mattered. Axel said nothing, just stared at the woman in front of him. Roxas had replaced her, just as she had replaced him with that pink-haired freak. A glint of metal, and Axel noticed the ring on her left hand. The ring that should have been from him. Axel's vision turned red. He hated her for everything. Larxene was the reason for everything. Axel stood up, kicking his chair over, and shoved his way through the tables, going away. Not planning to come back either. Not until SHE left.

 

Roxas watched his boyfriend storm out of the pizzeria, utterly confused. He turned to the five other people staring after Axel. "Anyone have an idea what that was about?"

 

"Nope." Lexrach turned back around. "But if you're going to be a good boyfriend, I would go out there after him. You know, make sure Fire-face doesn't do anything too stupid…"

 

Roxas nodded and left. He found Axel sitting inside of his truck. The blonde opened the door and climbed inside. He sat down in the passenger seat and looked over at his red-haired boyfriend. "Hey Axel."

 

Axel didn't reply, he just sat there with his head on the steering wheel, staring at the floor of the truck. Roxas reached out and put his hand on the red-head's shoulder. "Axel, could you tell me who that was?"

 

"You heard what her name was. Why are you asking me?" The red-head's words were bitter, they stung Roxas, and the blonde knew this had something to do with the secret Axel had been keeping from him. "Was what she said true? Did you two really date at one time?"

 

"Yeah. What does it matter to you?" Axel sat up and glared at the blonde. The harsh green eyes met the blue ones filled with concern. Axel didn't give in. He wasn't letting anyone know how much he had been hurt by HER. Just because some kid loved him didn't mean anything. But it did, and Axel knew it. Roxas meant everything to Axel. More than SHE ever could. The red-head grabbed Roxas, hugging the blonde and pressing his face into the teen's hair. "Why didn't I tell you Roxas? You should have known…"

 

"Tell me now. It's not too late."

 

"We did date. I loved her, I loved her so much. I thought she felt the same, I thought she wanted me as much as I needed her. We were actually getting pretty serious, and so one day I went out and bought a ring. I came back and waited for her return. And she was late." Axel paused pressing his face into Roxas's hair again.

 

"Why was she late?" It wasn't rhetorical, Roxas wanted to know what had upset Axel so much. The red-head sighed. "She came home with some other man. She told me that she was sorry, that she loved him and not me. I guess I must have looked a bit confused, so she decided to tell me just how long she had been cheating on me. Three weeks. Three weeks, Roxas. And she couldn't have just broken up with me before then, and left me. Left me for that other guy, before I had spent most of my life's savings on some stupid ring. And two years later, she just comes into my life. I've finally moved on, and here she is again. Only now she is wearing a ring. Two rings, actually. And you know what Roxas?"

 

"What?"

 

"I'm sure as hell glad that I didn't marry that bitch." Axel pressed Roxas closer. The blonde looked up at his boyfriend. "Why?"

 

"I would still be working in that horrible office. I would probably have to come home to her asking when we were going to have little brats, something that I never want. Especially if they were related to her. And the worst part would be that I would have never met you, Roxy." Axel leaned over the blonde and kissed his nose. "I love you Roxy. Don't you ever forget it."

 

Roxas grabbed the red-head's neck and pulled him down. The blonde pressed his lips against Axel's, feeling the red-head grin through the kiss before poking his tongue into Roxas's mouth, poking at the blonde's tongue. Roxas flicked his tongue up blindly, running it up and down the red-head. Axel's grip on the blonde's shoulders tightened, and Axel pressed into Roxas. The blonde let out a small moan, causing Axel to press into the blonde more. Roxas nipped on Axel's tongue. Axel whimpered in response, pulling out slowly. The red-head pressed his lips onto the blonde's once more before pulling away. Roxas looked over his shoulder at the red-head. "You didn't have to pull away, you know."

 

"Oh." Axel smirked. "So you want some more…?"

 

"Later." Roxas set a finger under the red-head's jaw. "I have something to tell you first."

 

"Mmm? What is it, Roxy?"

 

"I love you too. And, I never plan to have little brats, as you so kindly put it, crawling around either." Roxas turned and buried himself into Axel's chest, sighing. The red head smiled and rubbed Roxas's back, just content with the blonde boy's presence. "I bet if I told myself two years ago that it was a good thing she and I broke up, I wouldn't believe it…"

 

"Mm." Roxas looked up into Axel's green eyes. "Axel. I'm not going to cheat on you. Wanna know why?"

 

"Sure."

 

"Because I don't know of anyone who could come close to what you are." Roxas kissed the red-head's neck. Axel smiled. "Ditto Roxy. You and I are meant for each other. I don't care how cheesy it wounds, it's true."

 

"The only truth in this false world."

 

"Yeah, whatever that means."

 

"It doesn't mean anything. I was just trying to sound smart." Axel had to laugh at Roxas's reason. It was so innocent sounding.

 

* * *

  


Chapter 19

 

"So, do you have any plans for Christmas, Axel?" Roxas lay in bed, staring up at the blackness. Axel grinned, his face away from Roxas and towards the computer screen. 'Oh Roxy, I have HUGE plans for us. Plans that I'm keeping secret. Until the 25th, that is…' Axel shrugged. "Yeah. I've invited Demyx over."

 

"And?" Roxas raised an eyebrow. The blonde turned and wrapped his arms around the red-head's waist, noticing that the red-head was, once again, not wearing a shirt. And he was still as anorexic looking as ever. Roxas felt Axel's ribcage, the red-head pulled the teen's hands away. "He says he should be able to make it, he actually has a concert in North Twilight Town the day after and he'll get us tickets if we want them. You wanna go?"

 

"Of course." Roxas had never met Demyx, but had heard about the guitarist's band from Axel and some other teens at Roxas's school. Axel had been a part of the band before he had moved to Twilight Town, and had wanted to take someone to one of Demyx's concerts. The red-head thought that Demyx had a chance at making sure Roxas was Axel's, and only Axel's. 'Roxy, you're mine. Now all I need to do is figure out a way to get Demyx to play a song that'll get you to fall for me. Completely and utterly…'

 

"Axel, I'm going to bed. Night." Roxas turned back over. Axel began to shut down his laptop. He set it on the nightstand and pulled the blonde into him. "Night Roxy."

 

It was four AM on Christmas morning. Axel had woken up early for the first (and last) time in his life. He climbed out of his bed, yawning, and walked into the kitchen. He made himself a cup of coffee, and began sipping it. An hour later, the red-head walked back into the bedroom. He climbed onto the bed so that he was kneeling above Roxas. He leaned down so that his face was inches from the blonde's. "Roxy… Roxas… wake up Roxy…"

 

"Huh? Axel…? What are you doing? What time is it?" Roxas glanced around the dark room, searching for any type of clock. Axel pressed a finger to the blonde's lips, then began to trace them with said finger. "Hush Roxy. Just let yourself go."

 

"G-go?" Roxas blinked up at Axel, who pressed his lips onto the blonde's, immediately shoving his tongue in. The red-head lowered his hands so they were around the blonde's waist. Axel put his hand up Roxas's shirt; the blonde responded by pressing Axel closer. Axel pulled away from Roxas, glaring at the blonde's shirt. "Screw this. Roxas, take the damn shirt off."

 

Roxas pulled his shirt off, still uncertain of what the red-head wanted. Axel however, was a bit pre-occupied by the teen's bare chest. The red-head ran his hands up and down the blonde's front, a slight smile on his face. Roxas let Axel explore for a bit before pulling the red-head down and mashing their lips together again, Roxas inserting his tongue into Axel's mouth. Axel nipped at it, poked it with his own tongue, and then rubbed his tongue against the blonde's. Axel found Roxas's pants and began to undo them, pulling them down to the blonde's knees. Roxas caught on. "Oh, so this is your plan for Christmas…"

 

Axel grinned and Roxas smirked. The blonde lowered his hands and undid the older man's belt, lowering Axel's pants as far as the blonde's arms could reach. Axel kicked them the rest of the way off, then finished stripping his boyfriend. They were both naked, Roxas's was blushing, and Axel was smirking. The red-head lowered himself onto the blonde, gnawing at the blonde's collar bone thoughtfully. Axel shot back up and almost jumped out of the bad. "Oh yeah!"

 

He reached down onto the floor and grabbed a bottle of KY jelly. He put some on his fingers, then put his fingers onto the tip of Roxas's thing. The red-head moved smoothly, putting pressure onto it only when he found it necessary. Roxas wanted to moan, or to grab the red-head and press them back together. Axel removed his fingers and put his thing inside Roxas's. The red-head thrust down onto his boyfriend, causing Roxas to scream in pain. "AH! Axel! Axel, it hurts!"

 

"That's normal." The older man licked Roxas's jaw bone, then thrust down onto Roxas again. Roxas moaned. "Ah-ah-ah-Axel…"

 

"Don't say anything. Don't." Axel kissed the blonde's neck, then nipped it, and ran his tongue over the bite. The red-head pulled out a bit, trying not to harm the blonde. He hadn't done this in two years, it wasn't his fault he wasn't as good as he had used to be. Axel closed his eyes, shifted a bit to the right, and thrust down again. That time it felt right. Roxas moaned and arched his back, not in pain, but in this… pleasure he felt through it. Axel grinned into the blonde's neck. 'So I haven't lost my touch…'

 

The red-head ran his tongue over Roxas's lips, which the blonde opened. Axel prodded his tongue in, poking it around as usual. The red-head began to pull back out, slowly, trying to be as painless as possible. The blonde ran his hand down Axel's back, stopping at his waist. Roxas pulled away from Axel so that their lips were barely touching. It one of those teasing things Roxas did that made Axel want to go back into the blonde. Roxas blinked up at Axel. "Can I say that I liked the last one?"

 

"Sure." Axel had pulled out completely. He pressed his lips onto Roxas's for a second, teasing the blonde. "Merry Christmas Roxy."

 

"Merry Christmas, Ax." Roxas rolled out from under his boyfriend and began searching for his pants. He found a pair, but, upon pulling them on, realized they were Axel's. He turned over to hand them to his boyfriend. "These are yours."

 

"Mmm."  Axel grabbed the pants and began to put them back on. Roxas did the same with his own. The two got back into bed and curled up into each other, falling back asleep for however long they would get.

 

"I love you Axel."

 

"Love you too Roxy. Got it memorized?"

 

"Yeah. And if I don't, make me eat mud."

 

Axel laughed and kissed his boyfriend's forehead. "Nothing to say to that…"

 


End file.
